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Tony Greig's 33-year on-air sparring partner Bill Lawry was among those left shattered at the sudden death of the former England captain and commentator.
A feisty South Africa-born allrounder who played 58 Tests before playing a crucial role in the establishment of the breakaway World Series Cricket (WSC) in Australia in 1977, Greig died on Saturday aged 66.
Greig had been diagnosed with lung cancer in October, but he suffered a heart attack at his Sydney home on Saturday morning and died about 1.45pm (AEDT).
"He was rushed into St Vincent's hospital. The staff of the emergency department worked on Mr Greig to no avail," St Vincent's spokesman David Faktor said.
Greig's wife Vivian thanks those who had offered their support and asked for privacy.
"World cricket has lost not only a great allrounder as captain of England but a man who has promoted cricket right around the world," Lawry told AAP.
"He was just as popular in Sri Lanka, India, Dubai, whatever, with his television coverage over the past 35 years as he was as captain of England as a player.
"His worldwide contribution to the game of cricket has been enormous.
"He is bigger than life. He was a tremendous competitor as a player.
"All the Nine commentary team are my friends but Greigy was my closest friend from the moment he walked into the box 33 years ago after two years of World Series Cricket as a player."
Media tycoon Kerry Packer's rebel series was his response to the Australian Cricket Board's refusal to give his Nine Network exclusive Test broadcast rights.
WSC helped improve remunerations for players and dragged the sport into the modern age of day-night matches.
In the 1980s, Greig became a high-profile member of the Nine Network's cricket commentary team and continued in the role until ill health sidelined him only a couple of months ago.
Greig's involvement in WSC caused an abrupt end to his international playing career.
Former Australian captain Lawry says he's lost a great mate and he'll miss Greig more for his off-field exploits than his famously feisty commentary style.
"My wife and I are absolutely shattered and we really feel for Vivian and his four children today," Lawry said.
"I have missed him terribly this year, not knowing how sick he was."
Lawry said he regularly dined with Greig after a day's commentary and a phone call from Greig never failed to secure a table at a popular restaurant, even if it was fully booked.
"He was a wonderful entertainer when we all went to Sydney, not only for the Channel Nine team but for the umpires and the opposing players and officials," Lawry said.
"Kerry Packer and Greigy got World Series Cricket but he is the guy who had the most to lose. He was prepared to give up the captaincy of England because he could see world cricket needed a change.
"He has become a great Australian, a nationalised Australian, a proud Australian and a wonderful ambassador for the game of cricket.
"The Australian crowd loved him because he was competitive. He played like an Australian.
"He faced Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson at their peak. He didn't take a backward step."


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Why Everyone Aint Meant To Cut Hair: This Guy Gets Drake's Face Shaved In The Back Of His Head!
Showing his favorite musician that he cares
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Pietersen threatens to quit test cricket
Hard-hitting batsman Kevin Pietersen is holding England to ransom by threatening to quit test cricket.
LONDON - Hard-hitting batsman Kevin Pietersen is holding England to ransom by threatening to quit test cricket, according to former captain Bob Willis.
The South African-born Pietersen caused a shock at the end of the drawn second test against South Africa on Monday by saying he would announce whether he was standing down after the third and final match against the tourists later this month.
"It's a mess," Willis told Sky Sports television. "He's clearly got his nose severely out of joint by not being included in England's initial squad of 30 for the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September.
"But he also wants to play fully in the IPL (Indian Premier League) which clashes directly with England's home series with New Zealand next May. He wants to earn his $2.5 million and he is holding England to ransom."
Pietersen announced his retirement from all one-day internationals in May but a month later said he still hoped to play in the Twenty20 World Cup.
He explained that he did not really want to quit Twenty20 internationals but his England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) contract did not allow him to pick and choose between 50 and 20-over cricket.
Pietersen, named man of the match for his exhilarating 149 in the second test against South Africa at Leeds, said on Monday he was in talks with the ECB over his future.
"It's tough being me, playing for England," the 32-year-old told reporters.
"It's absolutely 100 percent not about money ... there are clear things that I'm discussing but there are other issues that need to be sorted. You'll find out soon enough."
Pietersen said part of his discussions centre on his participation in the IPL where he has a lucrative contract with the Delhi Daredevils.
Asked if the third test at Lord's could be his last, he said: "Anything's possible. It would be a huge shame. I love playing test cricket for England but ... we'll see.
"For me the saddest part about all this is that the spectators just love watching me play - and I love playing for England."
Pietersen, whose century at Leeds was his 21st in test cricket, passed 7,000 test runs on Saturday. Only Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Boycott have scored more tons for England.
Mike Gatting, another former England captain, said it would be sad if Pietersen retired from the test scene.
"I'm not sure why he wants to quit test cricket now but that's up to KP," Gatting told Sky Sports. "He's the man that makes the decisions, nobody else.
"It'll be sad to lose him but it will also give somebody else a chance to come into the England team.
"The fellow he batted with for a little while (at Leeds), James Taylor, I'm sure he might like to play more for England, so when somebody stands down it gives somebody else another opportunity.
"At the end of the day it's about the team, what goes on in the team, not about any one individual," added Gatting.


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Photos by Eugene Peress.
Standing within the boundaries of the holy city, Lifta is one of the 68 villages surrounding Jerusalem that were ethnically cleansed during the Israeli systematic attack in 1948. Unlike the others, it is the only Arab village that has not been destroyed since.
Israel confiscated the village land under the Absentee Property law in 1950, despite recognition by the Fourth Geneva Convention of the right of refugees to be repatriated.
Some of its inhabitants found shelter a few hundred meters away, certain of soon being able to return to their former homes, while others fled to the West Bank and are now unable to visit their village due to the severe restrictions on Palestinian movement imposed by the Israeli government.
Last year, the Israel Land Authority (ILA) issued a tender for a construction plan for 212 luxury housing units on the Lifta site. The Jerusalem District Court for technical reasons rejected the measure, but the plan is still on stand-by.
Despite the 65 years that have passed from the last time he woke up in his house, Yacoub Odeh never lost his sense of belonging
Despite the 65 years that have passed from the last time he woke up in his house, Yacoub Odeh never lost his sense of belonging
One of the former inhabitants of Lifta is Yacoub Odeh, born in 1940 and among the last holders of the oral history of the village. When not working at the Land & Housing Research Centre in Jerusalem, Odeh organises guided tours, bringing Lifta back to life for a couple of hours with memories of the bread baked in the tabboun, the taste of za'tar and fresh olive oil and the smell of homemade ka'ak. Odeh recounts how the members of the community lived, how they shared food and water and helped one another cultivate their lands. He describes his village as jennah, or "paradise" but goes on to acknowledge, "As Arabs say, paradise without people is nothing."
Due to its strategic position, Lifta was one of the first villages attacked by the Israeli forces in 1948, the year remembered by Palestinians as the Nakba, the catastrophe. Odeh was only 8 years old at that time, but his memories of that day are still vivid. When he heard the shooting, he was at home with his mother, who hid him and his siblings under a table.
One of the men of the village used his truck to drive the children to Ramallah, away from the conflict. "One moment we had everything, we were happy, and the moment after we were beggars," Odeh remembers. During the tours, he carries with him many documents proving Palestinian ownership of the land, one of which dates back to the Ottoman Empire.
"Unfortunately," he argues, "this is not a matter of law, but of law of force."
The slope leading into the village, referred to as al-'oqbah, the obstacle, is still as steep as it was in the past, but the view has changed dramatically. Lifta appears as an island lost in time, encircled by the Begin highway on one side and the construction yard of the light train from Jaffa to Tel Aviv on the other. Each house was built by its owner out of limestone using Lifta's own rocky soil, its beauty being a unique evidence of the bygone prosperity of the village. Israelis subsequently put holes into the roofs of the village's structures to prevent Palestinian resettlement and giving visible proof of the daunting history of the Israeli occupation.
The centre of the social life of Lifta before 1948 was the main square, the saha. Here, the villagers sat under a mulberry tree and shared the memories of their fathers, danced the dabka under the moonlight, or listened to the rawi, the storyteller.
"If you ask any man from Lifta, what is the saha? He will remember all the stories that happened here. 'You remember when 'Ali married and…?'" Odeh's voice fades away as his mind goes back in time. Around him, teenage settlers shout as they play in the village's old well, situated in the centre of the square, now used by Israelis as a pool. An old Jewish man in a long tunic joins them and, raising his hands to the sky, starts chanting in praise of Israel.
Entombed in Lifta's ruins is the meaning of the Nakba. This place tells the story of the conflict in terms of the strive for memory and collective identity which both Israeli and Palestinians are conducting, thus making the siege of a piece of land not a mere matter of space and resources, but a way to impose one's own memory and concurrent narrative. What the inhabitants of Lifta have lost during the Nakba is not a clod of earth, but the community that lived on it and its identity.
Despite the 65 years that have passed from the last time he woke up in his house, Yacoub Odeh never lost his sense of belonging. "I am from Lifta. These are the things that shape my life. This is my life. The day I will forgive and forget is the day in which I will be able to go back home."
Hearing Odeh speaking of forgiveness is especially startling when he admits having been incarcerated in Israeli prison for 17 years because of his involvement in the struggle against the occupation.
Today most of the structures are used by illicit lovers and drug abusers, something the former inhabitants of Lifta try to prevent by building fences around their abandoned properties.
"What importance do these stones have for the Israelis when they can sell the land and make one thousand dollars from it?" asks Odeh heatedly. "But these stones mean something to me, they tell the story of my life." He points in the direction of the house where he, his father and his grandfather were born, describing its architecture as if it was still standing before his eyes.
Groups of activists, both Palestinian and Israeli, are fighting daily to preserve Lifta from the threat of destruction launched by the bulldozers as well as by natural elements. What Lifta needs is to be preserved as part of a collective memory which unites both communities.
Reconstruction on this historical site would further widen the rift between Palestinians and Israelis and deny the Palestinians not only the right of return, but the right to remember. "No one has the right to cancel the other," says Odeh. "There is enough place for all of us, we can live together, but not under occupation."
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Honda Achieves Highest Non-Premium Ranking in J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study
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TORRANCE, CA June 6, 2007 –Honda was identified as the top non-premium nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS), the company announced today. The Honda Civic and the all-new Honda CR-V ranked as top vehicles in the compact car and compact MAV segments, leading Honda to rise in the nameplate rankings by two positions to the fourth overall vehicle brand.
IQS serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership and captures problems experienced by owners in two distinct categories-quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions). The study ranked nameplates and vehicles based on survey reports of Problems Per Hundred Units (PPHU) studied. Honda vehicles averaged only 108 PPHU, an improvement of 2 PPHU over 2006. The Honda Civic scored highest in the Compact Car segment, with an IQS rating of 94 PPHU, and the all-new Honda CR-V scored highest in the Compact Multi Activity Vehicle segment, with an IQS rating of 91 PPHU.
"Honda prides itself on great fuel economy and a fun driving experience, but vehicle quality has always been the top priority," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. "These IQS results help validate our ongoing quality efforts."
The 2007 Honda Civic lineup features a well-equipped and technologically-advanced Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe, the ultra-efficient Civic Hybrid, the dedicated natural-gas powered Civic GX and the ultra-sporty Civic Si Coupe and Sedan. The all-new 2007 Honda CR-V features a sophisticated design that delivers near-luxury style along with world-class refinement and four-cylinder engine efficiency.
In addition, three Honda manufacturing facilities received plant awards through the study with East Liberty, Ohio receiving the Bronze plant award in North/South America; Sayama, Japan; and Suzuka, Japan tying for Bronze Award honors for plants in Asia Pacific.
For more information about Honda vehicles, please visit www.honda.com. For media inquiries, please go to www.hondanews.com.
About J.D. Power and Associates:
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. Find more detailed findings on new-vehicle quality performance as well as model photos and specs by watching a video, reading an article and reviewing quality ratings at www.JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.


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So now they're CHANGING the whole damn poll mid-way through voting?
Posted by: Kneel Before Zod This has been a very disappointing two or three weeks - and is starting to look like it will be a fairly disappointing year.
Imp. Scanning Tech Last Minute Candidacy: Hasbro Pulls A Nader.
I can't believe they'd RE-release that thing and not just cast an Imperial Officer in grey and pack in the blue box accessory.
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Fiction contest: The Winners
Jealous? You should be.
Deborah Prum has made her living as a writer, which is hard if you don't you live in New York City, which Prum never has.
Prum says she paid her way through a masters degree in Health and Human Services at Dartmouth by plying her writing and cartooning skills and it paid off. She's penned several young adult historical books and a soon-to-be-published young adult novel, and her stories have been published in Ladies Home Journal and the Virginia Quarterly Review.
"I love fiction," Prum explains. "It's my passion, which I support through nonfiction."
The Charlottesville-based Core Knowledge Foundation published her Rats, Bulls and Flying Machines: A History of the Renaissance and Reformation. A brief history of that important period, it has been lauded by the American Library Association's Booklist as "a lively text that hits the high points of history and pauses for enough detail to make them memorable."
"Triage," her winning short story, is about tension between a doctor and his wife who is busy raising their two children, a teenage son and a young daughter. Prum's life seemingly mirrors this arrangement: She has three sons ages 18, 16, and 9, and a husband who works in medicine.
So, is "Triage" autobiographical? "It is," says Prum, "in the sense that I've observed many families in medicine throughout the years."
Deborah Prum
Runner Up: David Abrams' "My Father's Heart"
Word of fiction contests certainly does get around.
Runner-up David Abrams, a self-described "humble Army sergeant" stationed in Fort Richardson, Alaska, says he heard about The Hook's contest on the website readerville.com. He decided to enter a story he had written five or six years ago that had, he says, "fermented until the time was right."
Abrams rises at 5am, "trying to find small slices of time" to work on his craft before setting off for his "day job" as a public affairs supervisor in the U.S. Army.
"By day, I'm merely a humble Army sergeant. In the evening and on weekends, I do a lot of writing. Fiction is my first love," he says.
To that end, Abrams is currently looking to publish an already finished novel and hopes to retire in five years.
As for whether there's anything autobiographical in his story of a controlling father, he notes that at the time he wrote it, his father, like his character's, had just suffered a heart attack. "There was something there that I had to draw on," he admits, although he's quick to add that it is indeed a work of fiction.
Abrams' plans post-retirement? "There are other books still burning inside me that I need to get out," he says.
David Abrams
Runner Up: Eliezer Sobel with "Schneiderman"
Batesville resident Eliezer Sobel is a man of many words. Written words, that is.
At the age of 50, Sobel has, he says, published 40,000 copies of a self-help book entitled Manual of Good Luck, through a mail-order ad in the National Enquirer in the '70s– as well as the nonfiction book Wild Heart Dancing with Simon & Schuster in '94.
"I've been kind of a free-lance artsy person my whole life," Sobel reveals about his career choices. He settled in Batesville 12 years ago where he has been publishing the Wild Heart Journal since 1998. Sobel's magazine "about art, creativity, and spiritual life"– might be inspiration for the spiritual undertones present in his story about a Jewish man, his wife, and their odd new therapist "Schneiderman."
Currently Sobel is seeking a publisher for two other works: a nonfiction "spiritual autobiographical memoir," The 99th Monkey: On Personally Preventing the Paradigm Shift, and a novel he describes as a "cross of Seinfeld and Philip Roth," entitled Minyan: 10 Jewish Men in a World that is Heartbroken.
Local shrinks, consider yourselves warned.
Eliezer Sobel
Runner Up: Chad Harbach with "Kayley's Constellations"
"I wrote it accidentally," Chad Harbach says of Kayley's Constellations.
"I was working on my novel and getting really frustrated, and I needed to take a break from it. I wrote this story in one sitting, took a look at it four months later, and said, 'Well, this isn't the worst thing I've ever written.'"
The judges liked it. And UVA would probably concur that Harbach is something special, as he is currently finishing their highly selective MFA program. He'll graduate this May and hopes to complete that novel this summer.
If this story is any sign of things to come from Harbach, Charlottesville is again to be blessed by another prodigy. Though born in Wisconsin, the 27-year-old moved here two years ago to enroll at UVA.
His story traces the thoughts of a young college-aged character overhearing a discussion of blow jobs– something the protagonist has never experienced.
As for the inevitable autobiographical question, Harbach dodges that bullet. "The concept of the story is entirely fictional." Well put.


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My friend Brianna and I love to try new foods, so when I found this recipe on Food Network's website, I knew she was just the person to try it with. We not only found this recipe to be delicious, but really fun to make too. (Note: We didn't actually make the dipping sauce, but instead used a store bought Asian dipping sauce.) If you have kids who are willing to try different foods, I highly recommend letting them in on the cooking process.
- Warm water, for soaking rice paper wrappers
- 1 package rice paper wrappers, see Cook's Note*
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup julienned yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup snow peas, stringed and julienned
- 3 1/2-ounce package enoki mushrooms
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 recipe seasoned Buckwheat or Soba Noodles, recipe follows
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
- In a large bowl filled with warm water, soak 1 rice paper wrapper for about 20 seconds or until soft.
- Lay wrapper out on a tea towel to absorb excess water. Transfer wrapper to a flat surface. About 1/3 from the bottom of the wrapper, create a 3-inch long row by placing some cilantro leaves followed by some red pepper, yellow pepper, snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, buckwheat noodles and a little ginger.
- Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top 1/3 of the rice wrapper with black sesame seeds. Carefully fold the bottom of the rice paper wrapper over the vegetables. Turn in the sides and continue rolling up from the bottom.
To serve, slice the roll in half on a bias. Serve with Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce.
*Cook's Note: Rice paper wrappers can be found in Asian markets and at gourmet stores. Soak and work with only 1 rice wrapper at a time because wrappers will stick together and won't be easy to work with if they absorb too much water. If not served right away, keep rolls tightly covered to prevent the rice wrappers from drying out.
Seasoned Buckwheat Noodles:
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup cooked buckwheat noodles
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sesame oil and rice wine vinegar. Toss the cooked buckwheat noodles in the sesame mixture. Set aside.
Orange-Chili Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice, about 1/2 lime
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Whisk together all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Allow the sauce to stand for 30 minutes so that the flavors can infuse. Serve at room temperature.
Photo courtesy of Food Network.


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The Ontario Sledge Hockey Association (OSHA) is the governing body for sledge hockey in Ontario, representing over 20 clubs and 400 plus players located across most of Ontario. It is a registered nonprofit organization, an associate member of the Ontario Hockey Federation and a member of Hockey Canada.
OSHA runs three regular season leagues, Junior Sledge Development, Intermediate and Premier, offering competitive and development opportunities to players at all levels of play from beginner to elite. In addition OSHA runs Sledge Team Ontario (STO) in conjunction with the Quest for Gold government funded program for the development of elite sledge hockey players.
OSHA, in its role as Ontario's Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) for sledge hockey, coordinates and organizes sledge hockey participation in the Ontario Parasport Winter Games (OPWG) and the Ontario Winter Games (OWG).
OSHA sanctions two major sledge hockey tournaments each year: one in Mississauga in November and one in London in January. These tournaments have attracted teams from across Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
OSHA also holds coaches training and accreditation clinics, clinics for on-ice referees, and demonstration and player development clinics. OSHA is also instrumental in developing the sport through participation in committees and providing input and expertise to programs being developed across Canada.
OSHA's Mission, Vision and Value Statements reflect the organization's dedication and commitment to the ongoing development of players and of the sport.
Sledge Hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. The same rules are followed as in ice hockey, with six players on the ice, including a goalie. Players sit on a sledge, which is a narrow platform with skate blades attached to the bottom, and propel themselves using two specially constructed hockey sticks that have picks on the end. Players wear full hockey gear and are strapped onto the sledges. The sledges can be adapted to meet the individual needs of each player.
Major differences from stand-up hockey:
While Hockey Canada rules apply, there are some rule variations and changes made necessary by the nature of the game and the players who participate, such as:
* hockey sticks are about 1/3 the length of a regulation hockey stick with picks on the ends
* the players' benches in most arenas are inaccessible. The players sit on the ice along the boards in front of the benches between the blue line and red line. For penalties, the players sit in the semi-circle in front of the penalty box.
|Ontario Sledge Hockey Association
|Phone Number
|Email Address


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Comfort Keepers® Keep Seniors Connected to Friends and Family through an Easy-To-Use Tablet
grandPad opens a whole new world for seniors by connecting them with family, friends, and caregivers. It's the simple, secure, and perfect senior tablet for your loved one.
Enjoy games, make calls, share photos, video chat with the grandkids, and even check local weather with the push of a button. grandPad a great way to protect against isolation and loneliness and it also helps seniors stay happy, healthy, and engaged while maintaining their independence.
For a limited time only, when you order your monthly grandPad subscription through Comfort Keepers®, you will save 20% resulting in a $60/month subscription – including your tablet and monthly data. That's less than the cost of most cellphone plans!


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Former Houston Dynamo forward Joseph Ngwenya will return for a one-week trial with the Dynamo this week, Dynamo Chief Operating Officer Chris Canetti confirmed Tuesday night. Ngwenya was a member of the Dynamo's 2007 MLS Cup championship team.
Ngwenya, 29, is expected to join the Dynamo for their Thursday training session and will be evaluated for a full week. He first joined the Dynamo in 2007, arriving in a trade from Columbus for Alejandro Moreno.
He scored nine goals in 33 appearances for the Dynamo in all competitions in 2007, including the tying goal in Houston's 2-1 win in the MLS Cup final against the New England Revolution. Seven of Ngwenya's goals came in 25 league appearances, and he added the goal in the MLS Cup final and one goal in SuperLiga, which was the fastest in Dynamo history, coming after just 11 seconds of the match against Monarcas Morelia.
Ngwenya, a Zimbabwe international, left the Dynamo when his contract expired after the 2007 season and has since played for clubs in Austria and Turkey, also training with German power Bayern Munich. He played college soccer at Coastal Carolina from 2000-03 and began his MLS career with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2004.
The Dynamo continue a three-game homestand on Saturday night against the Galaxy at Robertson Stadium. Forward Brian Ching is currently out four to six weeks with a hamstring injury, and forward Cam Weaver hasn't played in either regular season game due to a knee strain, although he's listed as probable for Saturday's game.


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Before I say anything else, this is not an attempt to revitalize the old C-C Roleplay (as cool as that would be).
While browsing the pages of our site, I noticed something, and got an idea (everybody put on your hard-hats ).
To the casual visitor if Classic-Castle (especialy one that has never visited before), one could very well miss the Gaming section. Right now, in order to view the Gaming section, you have to go to the "Events" section, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page, click "Older Events" and then hit "Gaming". What I'm wondering (this is where I need your input) is if we should add (for lack of a better word) another button on the left hand side of the site, titled "Gaming". This means that upon visiting the homepage (or any other page) underneath the "Events" button, or the "Archives" or any other, there would be a "Gaming" or "Roleplay" button. I know the activity is now unfortunetly defunct, but it is a major part of our site's history (and some good reading). That said, what do you think? Should there be a link on the let-hand side, or not? I'm not saying that this has to happen, or that it shouldn't, it's just an idea I had, and I figured I'd see what you all think.


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Photos provided by Pokerstars.com
Tony has always been a tough cookie
Three years later, Tony started playing poker more intensely and at a more professional level. Yet all beginnings are hard and not even Tony G became a poker star over night. On the contrary, he first tried, without success, to make a name for himself in the Australian poker scene. Not only was Tony one of the youngest at the table most of the time, he looked even younger than he actually was. The older players made fun of his appearance and lack of experience and he was not taken very seriously at the poker table. So Tony decided to earn his money as a Black Jack dealer in Hong Kong.
When he finally had saved up $ 200,000 he moved to Las Vegas, the city of dreams of every dedicated player. With the aid of a fake ID, he got into some of the city's most famous casinos. Once again, luck dealt Tony a foul hand: He gambled away all of his savings and had to put up with the constant mockery and ridicule of the other players. Being blessed with the gift of the gab, though, Tony soon became known for his cheeky and defiant manner.
After numerous downfalls in Las Vegas, Tony G returned to Australia to nurse his wounds and earn some more money. Although he often felt frustrated, giving up was never an option for him. He then tried his luck in Europe, where he finally started seeing some results. Tony became a regular at the Victoria Casino in London, where he trained hard and played many a cash-game. It was in Vienna, though, his next stop after London, that he recognized his true calling was to be a professional poker player.
In Vienna he registered for poker games as Tony G, a name that soon was on everybody's lips. By now, most of the games he played he left as a winner. As a matter of fact, he started having difficulties finding people willing to play against him because he had become such a feared opponent: Everyone was scared of Tony G taking away all their money. In an interview, Tony G described his stay in Vienna as the "first step" of his career, not lastly because there, at last, he was allowed to legally play poker for the first time. Tony trained hard, improved his game and finally felt ready to enter bigger tournaments.
Tony G himself plays at PartyPoker as "TheRealTonyG". If you sign up via BonusBonusBonus, you will receive a special welcome bonus.
On the road to success
In 2002, he participated in the European World Series of Poker (EWSOP) in Vienna. He made it to the finals where he faced Martin Aigner from Austria. It was only after a bout of bad luck that Tony G lost with Q-Q to a Q-5, a remarkable second place that impressed the poker scene. At the World Heads-Up Omaha Championship he was able to deliver an amazing win and beat poker stars such as Dave "Devilish" Ulliott. Heads-up does seem to be Tony's specialty. In the World Heads-Up Championships he won thirteen matches in a row, an achievement no one had thought possible.
Not only did Tony G gain a reputation as an excellent poker player, but also for being an arrogant and cheeky loudmouth. At the 2003 World Poker Tour (WPT) in Paris he came in fifth place, but it was not his achievement as a poker player that stayed in the public memory after this tournament: His audacious manner throughout the poker game was too much for his colleague Howard Lederer who refused to shake hands with Tony at the end of the tournament. Even though this might not have been an achievement to be proud of, the incident only made Tony G more popular and his provocative demeanour earned him nicknames such as "The Mouth from Down Under", "The Australian Windbag", or "Loudmouth".
In 2003, Tony G sat at not less than 10 final tables. He won two "White Nights Poker Festival" tournaments where he beat the Russian poker pros Andrei Martsev and O Rodin at pot-limit Omaha and no-limit Texas Hold'em. Not only that, he also finished second at the Austrian Masters at no-limit Texas Hold'em and third place at the 2003 Five Diamond WPT Season 2 at pot-limit Omaha. At the WPT of the Aviation Club de Paris he once more made it to the finals.
Soon, Tony G earned enough money winning tournaments to make a nice living. In 2004 Tony G earned an especially nice sum of money: At the WPT Season 3 "Rendezvous à Paris", he won his biggest pot yet, almost half a million dollars, for his second place at no-limit Texas Hold'em. In 2005 he won the No-Limit Hold'em European Poker Championships where he also won a decent amount of prize money.
In 2006 he won the Lithuanian Open Summer Festival and the Betfair Asian Poker Tour at no-limit Texas Hold'em. In that same year he eliminated Phil Hellmuth, Gus Hansen, Bobby Bellande, Men Nguyen and Mike Matusow in the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II and was crowned the new "Bad Boy of Poker", a title that fits him perfectly.
In 2007 he played his way up to third place at the NPL Global Poker Circuit- UK Open, as he did at the WSOP Europe that year.
Aggressive playing style and a big mouth
His assertive playing manner makes Tony G one of the most aggressive poker players on the scene. Not only is he willing to take great risks, he also tends to be extremely short-tempered and provocative towards his fellow players. At the poker table he often lets his heated and unabashed emotions get the better of him and even cracks jokes at his competitors' expense. Although this has made him very unpopular among his opponents, it seems to have had quite a good effect on his wins quota: Due to his incessant inappropriate comments, quite a few players not only lost their concentration but also their money – to Tony G.
His big mouth also is an advantage when it comes to public relations. At tournaments with media presence, the cameras point his way most of the time in the hope of capturing one of his infamous tantrums or one of his funny (and mostly derogatory) comments on camera. As a result, Tony G is a celebrated star on video websites like YouTube, where clips of him head the top rated lists and his fans hang on his every word.
A lot of the time it seems that just winning is not enough for Tony G, what makes a victory complete is finishing off his opponent verbally.
"Look at how I played! It's not even possible to play worse than you! Your career is over, you're out man! It's over, over, over…" sings Tony G as he performs a dance of victory, emphasizing his insults with vivid gestures.
He especially enjoys poking fun at Russian players: his phrase "send them back to Russia" has become legendary. The reason for this – at least partly – are his Lithuanian roots. In an interview Tony explains that there have always been some tensions between Lithuanians and their Russian neighbours.
There is no doubt that many of Tony G's opponents strongly dislike him. Those who have had the chance to get to know him a little better, however, know that in private Tony G is a polite and companionable person. His poker colleague Phil Hellmuth describes Tony as a likeable and admirable colleague with a heart of gold when he is not in the midst of things.
Even amongst fans opinions differ. While some feel that Tony brings a little swing into things, others think that it is just that legendary rudeness of his that makes him likeable, still others believe Tony is just downright ignorant and impolite.
Tony himself does not take all this personally:
"I do not concern myself too much about the way I act when I play poker because there are more important things in life than other people's opinion of me. I have fans and I have opponents; I respect them all and hope that my TV appearances are entertaining in one way or another."
Long-time friend and poker colleague Jeff Lisandro is one of the people who are very close to Tony G. Jeff was – and still is – like a big brother to Tony, who has learned a lot from him. Jeff's ferocious method of playing also greatly influenced Tony.
Away from the poker tables
Tony lives in Melbourne, Australia. When he is not busy playing poker, Tony likes to travel, especially to Japan. Tony has already spent a lot of time there and is very interested in the country's culture. At the Bad Boys of Poker II Tournament he even wore a Samurai kimono which had cost him $ 10,000. In an interview he expressed his enthusiasm by explaining that it was very comfortable to wear and made him feel like a real warrior.
Exercising is another of Tony's newly discovered hobbies. In the fall of 2007 he decided to take a little time-out from poker tournaments to concentrate on his health and lose a few of his extra pounds to get in shape. He has taken a lot upon himself but if his winner's mentality does just as well in the gym as it does at the poker table, then this challenge should not pose a great problem for him. To think of the effect Tony's humour, his big mouth and his poker skills, paired with an exquisitely sculpted body, would have on his environment!
With or without six-packs, Tony G is a genius and his participation in tournaments brings zest to the game and gives many a reason to turn on the TV. We do not want to miss him at the poker table and can only hope we will not lose him to the body building scene, or – who knows – the Chippendales even!
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Crumb-Topped Mushrooms
A crunchy golden topping contrasts nicely with the creamy mushroom mixture. Mushrooms lovers help themselves to generous servings of this comforting casserole. With only five ingredients, it couldn't be easier to prepare.—Clara Honeyager, North Prairie, Wisconsin
Total TimePrep: 30 min. Bake: 30 min.
Makes50-60 servings
- 2 packages (12 ounces each) butter-flavored crackers, crushed, divided
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 4-1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of cracker crumbs and butter; set aside.
- Divide half of the mushrooms among three greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs; top with remaining mushrooms.
- Pour cream over all. Sprinkle with buttered crumbs and paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition Facts1/2 cup: 106 calories, 9g fat (5g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 92mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
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Dec 4, 2014
Prepared this as a side for our church's valentine dinner. Complimented the steak dinner very well. Received alot of nice compliments on it. I have also cut it down to a family size portion to serve at home.


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What are you currently hacking on?
Just before Christmas, I put together a small LL(1) parser-generator in Clojure. LL(1) has the distinction of being one of the simplest classes of grammars to parse, and a great number of textbooks on the subject will tell you that it's often quicker to write a parser by hand for a LL(1) grammar than to go to the trouble of using a parser-generator. I think my code removes most of those objections. However, it currently suffers from 4 problems that I vowed I would remedy before it saw the light of day: its very slow for only marginally deep parse trees, it has no tests, no documentation, and the error messages it spews forth are currently only meaningful to myself. None of these problems are sexy, nor could the process of solving them be construed as "hacking", so my motivation to finish the project has plummeted.
What do you want to hack on more in 2011?
I have no shortage of ideas that could be expressed via computational algorithms, but recently I've had a harder and harder time convincing myself that any of them are significant in any way other than the challenge in realizing them. This year I'd like to stay away from the "because it's there" projects. I'd like to hack on things that:
- someone would pay money for: a fart app, for example, or possibly one that does facial recognition so that if you think you've seen somebody famous on the street or simply can't remember the name of the person you're currently talking to, you can pull out your phone and shove its tiny camera in their face
- something that people I've never met before would find useful: most of my keystrokes are deleted, a select few are saved to files, fewer still find themselves a part of a working project, and of those projects that people other than myself get their hands on, their purpose could generously be described as niche. I write software largely for the compulsive pleasure of seeing an ephemeral thought produce flashing pixels on a screen, but I'd like to try writing something that might be useful to others at the same time.
- change an old way of doing things: Starbucks changed the way you order drinks, parenting at dinner is a contentious process, and the airline industry has been sticking with a sub-optimal solution to one of the hardest problems in all of computation but that doesn't mean a few guys didn't throw a bunch of servers at the problem and give it a go of their own (and crashed and burned). These are hacks in the best sense of the word.
- change how non-programmers interact with computers: it pains me to watch people use software. You might already be rolling your eyes in preparation for a rant from a programmer about non-technical people's poor computer skills, but that's not it. What I see when my mother-in-law or grandfather use their computers is the incredibly resourceful, thoughtful and clever way in which they approach an inanimate, ineffable and often arbitrary hunk of plastic and silicon, and manage to make it do unbelievably complex things. I've read the manuals, I spent four years in college and all of my professional career learning how these things are put together and I can barely get my wireless printer to work. The only difference between us is that I have the ability to change the machine to match their understanding of it. Helping non-programmers is my peace corps, my doctors without borders.
What do you want to stop hacking on in 2011?
I think what I wrote above covered most of what I'd like to hack on, and being a very good dichotomist, I'd like to stop hacking on anything that isn't a Big Idea. This is not to confuse Big Ideas with small hacks. Big projects never get finished. Short sprints of interesting and valuable concepts are strongly encouraged, not the least for morale. Anything that someone might ask "Why that?" of, and that I would respond with "well, because it just seemed neat…" should be viewed with strong suspicion in 2011.
Big idea that just needs a free weekend to come to life?
As you wrote big idea with a little "i", and I've just finished pontificating on big "I" ideas, I'm going to say a Java compiler that does type inference. I haven't done my homework and checked if something like this already exists, so if it does, please point me in its direction. Aside from the massive amount of typing (lol) it'd save, why should Scala get to have all the fun? A slightly more powerful compiler might lead to a better, if sloppier, place for the Java masses.
How can we get more arguing on this blog?
We could go find that youtube video of two kids having an argument and put it up here, thereby reclaiming the rest of the hits from Google searches for "two guys arguing".
If you'd like something software-related, pick the "social sciences" of programming, like methodologies, or productivity enhancements or what editor to use, as they often don't have verifiable outcomes and thus can generate argument indefinitely.
Personally, I've found that being wrong about a thing leads to more comments and discussion than solving that thing competently. On a positive note, I'd like to think that it has been our extreme competence in what we do that has kept this blog from rocketing us into the stratosphere of computer scientists around the world.


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Raleigh Road and Sixth Street will be renamed to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Raleigh Road and Sixth Street will be renamed to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. after the Lexington City Council voted on Monday night to unanimously change the roads names pending a 17-month phase-in.
Nearly a year has passed since Dr. Keith Curry, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, prosed renaming Raleigh Road and Sixth Street to honor King. Over the course of the year, more people have voiced support in public meetings than have been opposed.
A crowd of nearly 500 packed city hall, huddling into any nook they could find. Not only was every seat taken in the council chamber but people also lined the rim of the room, the hallways leading to the council chambers, filled the overflow room and sat in chairs in the lobby.
After more than an hour of comments from the public hearing, 22 residents had the opportunity to voice their opinions. Of the 22 that spoke, only two were opposed to the renaming of the road. When the council did close the hearing and vote to pass the resolution renaming the road, citizens jumped to their feet, clapping and shouting joy.
But before the decision was made, stories were told, childhoods were recounted and citizens of Lexington shared their thoughts and experiences.
"When I think of the controversy on renaming Raleigh road, I think of my childhood. I remember the days when my father would (go into restaurant) and money was green enough but skin wasn't the right color," said the Rev. Dennis Clodfelter of New Life Worship Center. "But it doesn't matter what happened in 50s, 60s and 70s, but it matters what happens from here on out. I believe renaming Raleigh Road will help our city."
On the opposing side, Gary Fancy and his wife Lynne Fancy, stated they believed the name change wouldn't help the city, only hurt it.
"I'm sure this is already a done deal," Gary Fancy said, one of the first to speak in a line of more than 20. "The NACCP has spoken and you decided to make it happen. Damn the consequences …You talk about bringing businesses to city and some of businesses that have been here for years will have to close or move to another location (because of the road renaming). This is not what is best for the city of Lexington."
Lynne Fancy pointed out that during tough economic times, many businesses were struggling and this change would only bring great financial burden and possibly end some of the businesses along this route.
A couple of resolutions were read during the public hearing, all expressing support for the issue. The Lexington City Schools, the Lexington Human Relations Commission and the Focus on Leadership of Davidson County drafted supportive documents to be read at the public hearing.
Wilma Evans, former Lexington councilwoman, noted that she is resident of Raleigh Road. When she was born, she lived on a road named Smith Street. It was later changed to Bristol Street but it didn't call as much attention as the night's public hearing.
"Wherefore, me being an original Raleigh Road resident, by the power invested in me, do hereby ask the Lexington City Council to please consider resolution 13-13," Evans said amidst a round of chuckles.
But the public hearing drew not only the older supporters but citizens from every age bracket. Nine-year-old Taran Watson, a fourth-grader at Pickett Elementary School, braved the large crowd and stood before the city council to share his thoughts.
"I think you should rename Raleigh Road to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard because he fought for equal opportunities and I think it would be a great way to remember and honor him," Taran said.
Like many moments after supporters finished their speeches, the others in the room applauded but when Taran finished, the room clapped a little bit louder and longer.
Another student to take the microphone was Malik Perkins, a senior at Lexington Senior High School.
"For our city to have something that honors Martin Luther King Jr. is radical. He changed a nation; he changed our people as a whole. Renaming the street is a small fraction of giving back to him what he gave to us," Perkins said.
The final citizen to speak at the public hearing was the Rev. Dr. Herbert Miller II of First Baptist Church on Village Drive.
"When I go downtown, I see the confederate memorial statue. My guess is most people who are against naming Raleigh Road, are not against those statues," Miller said. "When I look at those statues, I see something totally different than what a Caucasian sees. It reminds me of slavery and bigotry but it is part of our history and I respect that. I would not say 'tear those structures down'.
"When I go through a city and the city honors those who were in the confederacy, I want to see that my heritage is also a part of the mix. So when I look and see confederate statue and go down a little farther, I now I can see Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, it says Lexington honors everyone."
The new road signs will go up soon. The businesses and residences will have until July 1, 2014, to change needed documentation such as letterhead, business cards and signs for businesses and driver's license for residents.
Rebekah Cansler McGee can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 228, or at email@example.com.


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The Counselor Salesperson (Two Day)
Going to market with unique, high-quality products and services is no longer a guarantee that sales will be made and accounts will be retained. Remaining viable in today's business environment requires salespeople who can respond to customers' business needs, priorities, and interests better than the competition. Salespeople must be able to quickly discover and understand the business issues related to strategy execution. It all begins with a consultative selling approach—working closely with customers to solve real business problems.
The Counselor Salesperson (CSP) uses a four-step consultative selling process that helps salespeople transition from simply making transactions to solving real business problems. CSP focuses on adopting a Counselor Mindset—a mindset that builds profitable, long-term customer relationships.
Program Outcomes
The Counselor Salesperson (CSP) establishes a basic philosophy of selling with a common and easily understood approach. CSP provides a win-win approach to selling that emphasizes problem solving from the customer's point of view.
Implemented as a flexible and integrated Human Performance Improvement (HPI) solution, it enables a consistent customer experience from the salesforce, effective coaching and performance management with a variety of tools, and overall increased sales.
Wilson Learning believes that learning must be transferred to day-to-day work practices. To achieve this, The Counselor Salesperson (CSP) includes components and activities that enhance:
Participant Readiness: Prepares salespeople and managers for the overall learning experience
- Pre-workshop communication sets the context for learning.
Learning Design: Embeds practice and use of new skills in the learning design. The learning can be flexibly delivered as a:
- Three-day face-to-face application-oriented workshop (two-day option available)
- Series of instructor-led interactive webcast workshops delivered over time. The webcast design drives a constant stream of engaging learning activities—whiteboards, breakout rooms, polling, group work, video, real-time work, and more.
- E-learning program with 23 eCSP mini-mods to provide an interactive online learning solution
- Blended solution (with e-learning content followed by an optional application day)
All can be delivered in modular format over non-consecutive days to allow application between sessions. CSP, as a workshop component, can be taught by a Wilson Learning facilitator or by an organization's own leader-trained in-house professional.
Organizational Alignment: Ensures the organization supports the use of the new skills
- Post-learning reinforcement activities (optional) for both the manager and salesperson support both skill application and implementation.
As a result, CSP becomes part of your organization's selling practices, benefitting customers and increasing productivity.
Enabling Improved Performance
The Counselor Salesperson (CSP) features various performance application, reinforcement, and support tools. These additional learning components—application exercises, job aid cards, implementation guides, electronic reinforcement tools, performance checklists—ensure that salespeople can hone newly acquired skills and behaviors upon returning to work. Involving sales managers early on, and training them to coach for improved performance, is also fundamental to a successful CSP implementation.
To discover how we ensure learning is reinforced and applied for improved performance, see our Learning Transfer Approach.
Organizations that implement The Counselor Salesperson have access to measurement and evaluation tools. Beyond tracking sales efforts with the planners and performance checklists, the Win-Loss Review helps sales managers and their salespeople track the actual impact of counselor selling skills on real sales performance.
Wilson Learning's (optional) Customer Relationship Inventory (CRI) assessment instrument uncovers what customers really think about an organization's salesforce. This concrete, real-world feedback motivates salespeople to perform and acts as a blueprint for creating individual, group, and organizational development plans.
In most implementations, Wilson Learning will partner with your organization to measure the initial behavioral changes and business results. Our common interest is to make sure that The Counselor Salesperson delivers the results you seek. We are committed to helping you succeed. We will work with you to set up measurement systems to help move desired change forward and sustain the momentum of your implementation.
To learn more about measuring the impact of learning, visit Measurement and Evaluation Services.
This offering, like all others from Wilson Learning, can be customized to reflect your sales environment and business priorities and can be integrated with your sales process.